There has been significant interest in developing laser systems or other light sources for removing unwanted hair from human skin, and treatment of pigmented lesions and vascular lesions. A variety of types of surgical laser systems and light sources have been developed for these applications, as well as for treating skin conditions such as port wine stains, varicose veins, and the like. These systems can been divided into several classifications, either high power, pulsed, solid state laser systems, pulsed coherent light systems, or high power pulsed flash lamp light sources.
The most effective laser systems are developed to deliver a relatively high amount of energy in a short period of time. If the energy is delivered over a long period of the time, significant tissue injury (collateral damage) will occur in the regions adjacent to or beneath the treated area. To avoid this problem and generate higher power in a short period of the time, most prior art systems are flash lamp pumped laser systems having a pulsed output. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,129, issued Oct. 22, 1991, to Zaias, a flash lamp pumped ruby laser system is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,803, issued Jan. 13, 1995, Tankorich describes a flash lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser used in combination with the application of a substance having a high absorption at the laser wavelength for depilation. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,368, issued Apr. 11, 1995, Eckhose disclosed a non-coherent light source comprised of a high power pulsed flash lamp with a wavelength from 500 nm to 900 nm for removing unwanted hair from human skin. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,630,811 and 5,658,323. issued to Miller, a method and apparatus to use a high peak power pulsed laser diode light with wavelength in the range 650-1000 nm has been disclosed for treatment of pigmented lesions and vascular lesions and hair removal. All these high energy pulsed laser systems and non-coherent light source require a very high energy pulsed power supply, which in turn requires a larger cooling system. Normally these types of laser systems and non-coherent light sources are heavy, large, expensive and very difficult to use in a clinical office.